Riley Mercer Of DC Gets 22 Years In Prison For Armed Robbery Of Grandparents

WASHINGTON (WUSA) -- A D.C. man was sentenced to 22 years in prison for robbing his grandparents last year.

Forty-year-old Riley Mercer was found guilty this summer of conspiracy, burglary while armed, kidnapping while armed, armed robbery of a senior citizen and related weapons. Five years of supervised release will follow his prison term.

Mercer's grandparents were in their 70s and living in Northeast Washington. Mercer lived with them, had a key to their home and a job with their security company. Mercer learned that his grandparents kept payroll money in a safe in their bedroom closet. His grandmother was the only one with the combination.

On the morning of Sept. 29, 2011, Mercer and two other people used his key to get into the home and went straight to the bedroom. They pointed guns at his grandparents. Mercer's grandmother was led to the closet and a suspect threatened to shoot her because she wasn't moving quickly enough for him. The grandmother then recognized Mercer's voice say, "Don't hurt her." She could not identify the other two because of their masks.

All three tied and bound the grandparents to their bed and then left with approximately $15,000 in cash from the safe. Later, The couple's daughter heard them crying for help and untied them.